Peadar Clohessy
Ceist:33 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for the Marine if he will report on the extent of deep-sea fishery research undertaken by his Department in Irish fishery waters since 1 January 1994. [17541/95]
Written Questions. - Fishery Research.
The Department has been undertaking a research programme into selected deep sea species, with EU support, since 1992. This work has focused on three species, the roundnose grenadier, the bluemouth rockfish and the greater forkbeard.
Additional funding has recently been obtained under the EU FAIR Programme which will enable this project to continue until 1998. Work continued in 1994 and this year on biological analysis of data obtained from two deep water sampling surveys carried out in 1993. Further survey work and evaluation of the biology, nutritional value and possible catching methods is ongoing. The project will help to establish the extent to which it would be worth targeting these species for commercial exploitation.